Dancing With the...Heidi?
Category: TV & Radio...
Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2007 at 03:34 PM [GMT-6]

Update: OK, our local station is off the hook. Based on a comment left on this post, and confirmed by this report, it was the network's problem that disrupted the conclusion of last night's program. The preceding link has a video of the show's ending, if you can't live without it.

Do you remember the infamous "Heidi Super Bowl," the one in 1968 where NBC deemed it more important to cut to the beginning of that movie than to show the last minute of the big game, thereby depriving millions of viewers the chance to see one of the great comebacks in sports history? It even warrants its own entry in Wikipedia.

Well, our local ABC affiliate put forth its version of that fiasco on Tuesday night when it chose to run back-to-back commercials touting its new Sunday night newscast instead of the climactic announcement of the first couple to be kicked out of Dancing With the Stars. Goofy Czech model Paulina Porizkova (motto: "If it's not polka, it's not dancing") was the worthy recipient of the boot, but the only way we knew that was to intuit from her weepy demeanor as the ending credits rolled. I'd really like to blame the network for this, but until someone weighs in here from KMID, I can't.

Speaking of DWTS, the fact that Billy Ray Cyrus survived is an indication that guys have a built in advantage due to the predominantly female viewing (and voting) base. The only chick who stands a chance of winning this season is Laila Ali, and she'll do so only by being significantly better than anyone else (which, by the way, she has been up to this point).

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Comments

FWIW, it was a network problem. Chicago and several other markets missed the announcement as the feed dropped out. This according to blogs I read immediately afterwards (to let the boss know for sure who was dropped. ) She (The boss) called the local station, and they told her that the network feed was lost.

Posted by: Usul at March 28, 2007 04:38 PM

Actually, that's worth a lot. I wonder why KMID didn't issue an explanation? Or did they, and I just missed it? There's no point in their taking a bullet for the network; the network would never take one for them, I suspect.

Thanks for the explanation.

Posted by: Eric at March 28, 2007 04:49 PM

Eric, your dad and I watched DWTS for the first time, and we were disappointed when we didn't get to see who got bumped off, although I suspected it was Paulina. Thanks for letting us know.

Posted by: Your Mom at March 28, 2007 05:25 PM

I take it Billy ray is no good? We don't get to see it here (of course we do get our own version but it would be nice to see yours too!).

Posted by: Rach at March 29, 2007 03:18 AM

Rachel, it's not so much that he's a bad dancer -- most of the participants are at this early point in the show -- but he just doesn't seem to be having any fun at trying. Although I will admit that both his dancing and his attitude seemed to improve in week two. But I still believe that the only factor leading to his staying and Paulina's leaving is the large female voting audience.

Posted by: Eric at March 29, 2007 06:47 AM

Eric: We actually replayed the ending of DWTS on our 10PM newscast and then again at 6 & 10 the next day. You can't imagine the number of irate viewers we had and we were helpless and just a peeved as our viewers. We're fans too. The last time I received that many irate calls was when I was doing weekends and we were airing Northwestern vs. Minnesota when it was supposed ot be Texas vs. OU. So, I'm hoping what's left of my b*** won't get chewed much more.

Posted by: Mel at March 29, 2007 02:27 PM

Mel, thanks for the insight. I know you guys have a thankless task -- nobody ever gives you credit when things go right, but you catch all the flack when they go wrong, even when it's not your fault. But, hey -- I guess that's the price you pay to be a media star! ;-)

Maybe next time you can run a crawler, like for thunderstorm watches, giving the results of the show. (Hopefully, there won't be a "next time.")

Posted by: Eric at March 29, 2007 03:28 PM
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